ditto per attempts earlier this evening.

problem is i'm stuck with $$$ New-style Vanilla Visas (fixed)

any workarounds?

Not to my knowledge. The PIN appears to be complete disabled/non-functional on these. Only real liquidation options are AP or AFT. Or using them to buy VR.

I actually scratched off some digits completely. Had to file a dispute with Incomm. Now, I am scratching very gently.

Could anyone share a picture of the "new" vanilla card?

Edit: I mean the picture of the package, not the card, of the "new" design.

Here is the pattern I've identified. Card numbers that start with 484735 have working PINs. Card numbers that start with 484718 do not have working PINs. I have no counterexamples to the above rule.

Went to two additional CVS stores today to buy Beans with the new Vanillas, and the new Vanillas will not function as debit with Pin. So, forced to use as credit. One CVS would not allow me to use as credit card without my name on it (debit and pin would have been fine), but other was fine with it.

Last night, I registered each using my zip code, and cleared pin just to make sure. Per today's experience, no difference. Any one try a "normal" purchase? Wondering if these are somehow triggered by BB loads or VR purchases. If same problem with a normal purchase, don't these violate the new law requiring them to have pins and function as debit?

They work fine for regular purchases, it's just that the PINs don't work correctly. It's unclear if this is intentional or an error (I suspect they're trying to block the usual avenues of cashing out the cards and inadvertently ending up breaking PIN functionality completely).

Technically the ruling you're referring doesn't require GCs to have PINs. It just recommends it, and the banks regard these recommendations as more or less required. But I don't recommend calling them up and telling them they're breaking the law or something, because they're not.

Went to my local grocery store to buy Reloadits, for which I can only use a debit card with pin. New Vanillas failed there as well. I was able to use my Staples-purchased back-ups, and my few, remaining old style Vanillas.

I must gonna have fun with my new 18 series...

Well, they may not be "breaking the law" (I really don't know what the law says though...but I've heard that if a GC has "debit" printed on, they must supply PIN capability), but back of the card does state "Select any 4 digit PIN at first use" in bold. They are probably bound to what's stated on the card (not in T&C though)...if you really don't like, you can do the same as HIGCs...complain and send the cards to InComm for refunds.

Good job figuring out which series are giving trouble!

I thought about that too.
What if I only planned to shop groceries at ALDY which accepts only debit cards??
Package clearly mentions PINs.

Or let them send us proper PIN-enabled cards, or VRs :)

I can see that email:

"Please refund my pinless gift card via VR, thank you."


:)

and please note, I'm willing to sacrifice my BB capacity asking that :-)

Are there any of the new style with the 35 (in other words, that work)? I just got my first batch with the new style and they were all 18s. Found some of my old, used GCs with the old design and they have the 35. Wondering whether the 18/35 distinction is any different from the change in appearance.

Ended up using Metabank $200 cards instead of the 18s to pay for the MO. I guess I'll have to use the 18s to buy VR or $500 GC instead. Might call and ask about it since the package clearly mentions that they are PIN enabled, but my hopes aren't high. One other option to unload the 18s I haven't seen mentioned yet is the Amex for Target card. Limited to $5k per 28 days, and the fees are high if you do more than 1 ATM withdrawal per month on each card for $800/month, but Target has no problem with doing split tender transactions to pay for a load or using GC to pay in my experience. I always go to the customer service desk to load as they are generally more knowledgeable.

Anyone try the Vanilla MCs recently? I know the MCs are more of a pain to get to work as debit in the first place, but I'd be curious to know whether the new style affected them as well. Let's all hope this is just an anomaly and not a sign of things to come. Even if this just spread to the other Vanilla GC and not the other banks', it'd cripple our favorite pharmacy :(

Because RedBird increase costs, thus, unpopular. Not all can do this, but there are ways you can liquidate these "difficult" VISA/MC GCs using as a credit card without loss...at times profits. And, no, I'm not revealing anything unless somebody says something about specific routes.